Katrina slowly allowed her eyes to open taking in never ending light. She forced them to stay open giving them time to adjust. The beeping sound of a monitor became clear; the sound of people in the hallway, the sound of her own breathing flew into her ears. She inhaled deeply trying to smell anything, but the only thing she got was the smell of a hospital. She flexed her fingers and tightened them again clutching the scratchy blanket.
"This blanket needs to be softer," Katrina said aloud and almost jumped at the sound of her voice, its usual soft chime now a raspy low sound frightening her. She sat up and looked around the bare room trying to find the button that summoned a nurse; she found it and clicked it. She was ready to wait a while, but with an instant a nurse and a doctor ran into the room breathing heavily.
The nurse was the first to talk, "It's about time."
Katrina looked at the doctor and smiled softly remembering who he was.
"Katrina," Dr. Simms smiled back, "Are you okay?"
Katrina nodded, but stopped short as her hand slid onto her flat stomach. Panic filled her head and a scream ripped out of her throat causing Dr. Simms and the nurse to jump, "Where's my baby!? Did something happen to it last night!?"
Dr. Simms touched her shoulder trying to calm her, "Katrina, last night? What are you talking about?"
"Last night," Katrina gulped, "I talked to Greg and he said the baby was fine, so where is my baby!?"
"Katrina," Dr. Simms shook his head, "That wasn't last night…"
"Then when was it?" Katrina pleaded with watery eyes.
"Katrina…that night…" He paused and closed his eyes tight. He exhaled a held breath then opened them again, "That night…was five years ago."
Katrina's lip started to quiver and tears slid down her cheeks, "W-w-what?" She began to shake her head violently, "No, no, no, that's impossible! That's not true! You're lying!"
"I'm sorry, but it is true," Dr. Simms looked down.
"But, m-m-my baby," Katrina's quivering lip trembled worse causing her to stutter, "What about my baby, did it die?"
Dr. Simms shook his head, "No, you had a C-Section. Your daughter is fine."
"I h-had a d-daughter?" Katrina asked.
"Yes," Dr. Simms nodded, "A beautiful one." He leaned over and grabbed a frame off the side table and handed it to Katrina.
Katrina took the frame and ran her shaking fingers down the picture. A girl with bright blonde hair and brown eyes smiled large at the camera. Her hair pulled into two ponytails that fell in front of her shoulders and the bangs swept to one side in a sparkly pink burette. She was clad in a white t-shirt and pink overalls; her sneakers caked in mud, "What's her name?"
"Ebony," Dr. Simms said, "Ebony Jean Sanders."
Katrina looked at him, "I picked that name."
Dr. Simms nodded.
She put the picture down, "I want to leave, please."
"Of course you can."
)()()()()(
Katrina stumbled down the hall towards the waiting room leaning against the wall every now and then to catch her breath. She stopped to lean against the wall and smoothed out her blue blouse and tried to get little pieces of fuzz off her black pants, but plucking doesn't get far. She stopped and took a deep breath shaking her head, her blonde hair bouncing on her shoulders. She continued down the hall and pushed open the door. A nurse smiled at her, but Katrina didn't acknowledge it, instead she made her way towards a girl by the window. The girl wore a red shirt, jeans, heels, and her black hair in a high pony.
"Wendy," Katrina hushed out.
Wendy instantly turned around with a large gasp; she hugged her friend tight and cried.
The two girls cried into each other's shoulders, before collecting themselves and sitting down.
"I can't believe you're awake," Wendy said.
"I can't believe I was asleep that long," Katrina muttered.
Wendy nodded, "Yeah, you missed a lot, Kat."
"Like what?" Katrina asked.
"Well," Wendy gulped, "Warrick is…dead."
Katrina's eyes went wide, "What?"
"Yeah, he was shot and killed," Wendy looked away.
Katrina sat in silence starring at her white knuckles…sure she wanted to know more, but right now…there was so much she needed to know so she gulped a sob and spoke, "What about the others."
"Sara quit," Wendy said, "She was kidnapped and stranded in the desert. She quit, but still comes back every now and then to help out."
Katrina bit her lip, "She was one of the bests."
"I know," Wendy said then continued, "Um, your dad, Grissom, he resigned."
"No," Katrina gasped, "Why?"
"He wanted to be with," she paused, "Sara."
"There a thing?" Katrina asked shocked.
Wendy nodded, "Yep, now Catharine's in charge. We have a new—no—two new CSIs, Riley and Ray."
"Are they any good?" Katrina asked.
"Ray…he's okay," Wendy said, "but Riley…she's sort of a buzz kill."
"Lovely," Katrina muttered.
"Yep," Wendy rubbed at the ring on her finger…on her left hand.
Katrina's eyes went wide, "Is that!?"
Wendy blushed, "Yep, David and I are engaged."
"Oh, I thought you were married."
"No, I refused to have the wedding till my Maid of Honor woke up," Wendy smiled at her, "Oh, wait, I forgot to tell you. David and I had a boy."
"Aw, what's his name?"
"Carter Zeek Hodges."
"Zeek," Katrina repeated, "Hodges?"
"Yep, I refused to name my kid Zeek, so I decided it could be his middle name," Wendy smiled and the conversation died. They waited a few minutes, but finally she stood up, "C'mon we've got people to see."
"And places to be?" Katrina asked.
"Yes, yes we do."
)()()()(
"Hallucinations?" Catharine asked.
Greg nodded, "Yeah, I mean every woman we see with blonde hair…she calls her mommy."
"Greg, it's perfectible understandable, she wants her mother to wake up," Catharine said, "So of course she's going to think that every blonde is her mom."
"But, what am I going to do?" Greg asked.
"The only thing you can do," Hodges said taking a sip of his beer, "wait."
Greg looked at his beer bottle, "It seems there's a lot of that around here lately."
"Yeah," Hodges sighed.
"Daddy, Carter pinched me!" Ebony ran up the patio stairs clutching her arm.
"Oh, Honey, let me see," Greg picked Ebony up and sat her on his lap, he looked at her arm seeing a little red mark, "It's not that bad."
"But it hurts," she pouted.
"Carter Zeek!" Hodges hollered, within in seconds a little black haired boy ran up the stairs smiling.
"Yes?" He asked.
"Did you pinch Ebony?" Hodges asked.
"Maybe," Carter said.
"Did you?"
Carter bit his lip, "I'm sorry!"
"Tell that to Ebony," Hodges said.
Carter looked at Ebony, "Ebony, I'm sorry I pinched you."
Ebony shrugged and hopped off Greg's lap, "its okay, I'm sorry I punched you."
Catharine tossed her head back and laughed, Nick chuckled softly with Sara, and Grissom sighed, "Greg, that little girl is going to kill him."
"Hey," Greg looked at Grissom, "if he doesn't buck up soon their friendship will go nowhere."
"We're going to get married," Ebony said.
"Oh, are you?" Greg asked.
Ebony nodded, "Yep."
Carter rolled his eyes and ran down the steps into the yard, Ebony followed right behind.
"So, Hodges, where's that fiancée of yours?" Sara asked.
"The hospital," Hodges said.
The table fell silent.
The house phone sitting on the table rang and Greg picked it up, "Hello? Oh, hey Wendy! We were wondering when you were coming around. Um, no, uh, yes…maybe…it was one punch he's fine."
Hodges chuckled.
"Oh, you are," Greg looked at Hodges, "Yeah, we'll be right out to help." He hit the end button and stood up, "Seems Wendy brought the kids a present along, she needs all are help to get in the back." The group stood up and made there way through the house to the front door and on to the driveway.
Hodges walked over to Wendy and kissed her gently, "So where is it?"
Wendy looked around at the others, "In the back."
Greg sighed, "Why are we here then?"
"So that Ebony could see her mom first, without interference," Wendy said.
Greg's mouth dropped and his eyes went wide, "Katrina…"
"Yeah."
Greg pushed past Nick and Grissom running towards the fenced backyard, he placed a hand on the wooden fence and jumped over it one swift movement. He slowed to a walk and stopped completely as the sight of two blondes starring at each other in stunned awe.
"Mommy," Ebony said.
Katrina nodded, "Yeah."
Ebony was about to say something when she saw Greg she stayed quiet.
Katrina looked at Greg with emotion filled eyes, "Greg."
They starred at each other for another moment before both broke into a jog towards one another. Greg swept her off her feet and spun her around; he sat her down and held her face in his hands kissing her with a longing kiss.
She kissed back just as eagerly tangling her fingers in his hair; tears fell from Katrina's closed lids slipping into the kiss.
Greg pulled away to kiss every inch of her face then her lips again. He wrapped his arms around her waist and spun her around again as their lips stayed connected. He sat her back down and pulled back, but quickly kissed her again.
Greg pulled away from Katrina and caressed her face in his hands, her hands overlapping his, "I've missed you Katrina."
Katrina smiled lovingly at him, "I didn't even know I was gone."
"You were," Greg said, "but now you're not…I-I love you Katrina."
"I love you too, Greg," Katrina stared at him waiting for him to say something else, but he didn't so instead she continued, "She looks a little picket, have you been feeding her?"
Greg chuckled softly, "Yes, I do, but she's got a metabolism like ours."
"Then she can eat to her heart's desire," Katrina smiled.
"God, I've missed you," Greg muttered.
"You said that already."
"I know, but it's true," Greg kissed her again then wrapped his arms around her pulling her close kissing the top of her head.
"Kit-Kat, I'd like to say hi to you too," Greg and Katrina looked up to see the others standing there smiling.
Katrina looked at Greg, kissed his chin then wiggled out of his arms to run to her dad.
He caught her in a hug, "Glad to have you back, honey."
Katrina looked up at him and smiled, "Glad to be back."
Hugs and tears were exchanged before Katrina, Greg, and Ebony could be alone. The three stood by the swing set talking.
"You're not going to leave again are you?" Ebony asked.
Katrina scooped her daughter up into her arms and kissed her forehead, "No, never. I'm going to stay with you and daddy forever."
"Forever and ever?"
"Forever and ever," Katrina smiled tickling Ebony's tummy making her giggle.
"Hey, Ebony," Greg said, "Why don't you go play with Carter…I have to talk to your mother."
Ebony glared at her dad, "Fine, but after that she's mine to talk to."
Katrina laughed and sat her down letting her run off. She looked at Greg, "What is it?"
"When you were hugging and saying hi, I went into the house to get something," Greg took a deep breath and pulled a small black box out of his pocket and slowly got down on one knee.
Katrina's breath caught and she could feel more tears coming.
"Katrina, I've waited five years for you to wake, five years for you to stay with me, and five years did I wait, but now that you're here," Greg opened the box to reveal a diamond surrounded by smaller diamonds on a gold band, "Katrina Grissom, since the day I met you I knew I wouldn't be able to leave you alone. You went through so much trouble to help keep our relationship a secret when you knew you didn't have to be with me. You put up with my hot headedness and because of that you were almost killed. I realized sitting in that hospital waiting room that I wanted nothing more than to be with you for the rest of my life…Katrina Grissom, will you marry me and make the happiest man in the world?"
Katrina's vision had blurred from tears, but she rubbed them and looked down at Greg and nodded slowly, "Yes, oh God yes."
Greg smiled at her and pulled the ring out of the box then slipped it onto her ring finger. He pulled her hand to his lips and kissed the ring before kissing her lips gently, "Thank you."
"No, Greg, thank you," Katrina whispered, "for not leaving me when I was gone."
"I wouldn't have dreamt of it."
"I did…" Katrina whispered.
Greg hugged her tighter not answering after that.
The two stayed in one another's arms trying to fight the urge to cry, but eventually the two did look at each other to kiss. Greg walked away leaving Katrina to stand there watching from a distance.
"I was so afraid, Greg," Katrina whispered to herself, "That you were going to leave me, I was afraid you wouldn't love me anymore, I was afraid…to loose you again. Thank you, Greg…for being the only person who ever truly loved me…"
THE END
A/N: Opinion time…I need to know if this is a decent ending or if you guys want a sequel…because I am more than happy to write one! I've got the first chapter all in my head already…all I need is your say in the matter so please Review!